NEWS OF THE DAY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 84, 18 March 1931, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Earthquake Relief j An additional contribution to the Stratford Earthquake Relief Fund is £1 5s made by Mrs. J. Fraser. A Valuable Cargo A consignment of valuable pedigree Jersey cattle arrived at. Auckland from Canada by the steamer Waiherno during the week-end. The stock, which is consigned to Mr. E. Griffiths, New Plymouth, comprises 15 bulls and 12 cows and heifers. Quake Telegrams During’ the 12 days following the earthquake 18,190 telegrams were dispatched from Hastings, says the “H.B. Tribune.” Formerly the daily average was 220, which means that 15,550 extra messages were sent in the course of those grim and strenuous days. Stratford Fire Brigade There was a full muster of memiters of the Stratford Fire Brigade last evening, when the engine was on Broadway and ladder practice was indulged in. Superintendent Davis was pleased with the work of the firemen. Britain’s Prime Ministers The collection of mezzo-tint portraits of the Prime Ministers of Great Britain presented to the New Zealand Government last year by Mr. \V. Makower has until this year been short of a single portrait —that of the Duke of Grafton. After much search, Mr. Makower has been able to obtain this, and he presented it recently to the High Commissioner for dispatch to Wellington. The donor has now at his own expense presented both New Zealand and Australia with sets of the portraits of British Prime Ministers.

Auckland-grown Bananas Bananas ripening in the open give a tropical touch to an orchard at Hokianga, North Auckland (says an exchange). For three or four years past Mr. A. Fell, of Opononi, near the Hokianga Heads, has supplied his family with bananas from several trees on his farm, and the fruit is considered to he more tasty than the imported varieties. The bananas are the same as tuose commonly grown in Colombo and Queensland, and the palms are about 15ft in Height. Borne of the bunches weigh up to 201 b.

Napier at Night Although there are evidences of order emerging out of the chaos at Napier the city at night is a depressing spectacle. A visitor to Hawke’s Bay during the week-end said yesterday:—“A walk through the streets at night is an eerie experience. The range of vision is limited, and the street lights gleam on the ghosts of buildings that have passed. It seems that some gigantic hand has smashed the city, and then thrown a flaming torch into the ruins.”

The Busy Bee A, swarm of bees discovered a couple of bags of sugar iu the liredamaged premises of a confectioner in Broadway yesterday, and made what is known as “a welter” of the opportunity for a sweet time. Every time the door was opened the bees ( flew out in droves and the antics of the pedestrians on the footpath in their endeavours to give the things a wide berth were amusing at times. A well-known member of the pictures staff, who was billsticking, had the experience of a bee settling on his nose, but it was not there long enough to sting him. The incident would have been good for a scene in the talkies!,

Midhirst Sports The annual athletic sports under the auspices of the Midhirst Sports Club are always interesting and attract many patrons from Stratford town and district. To-morrow’s programme has drawn numerous entries in the pedestrian, timber and cycling events, and the attendance should prove to he a record. If the weather is favourable there will be a special aero stunt, when an exhibition will he given by Mr. C. R. Parker, the well-known champion cyclist, at two o’clock. The catering will be in the hands of the local ladies’ committee, and this should be most satisfactory. The programme commences at 11.45 a.m. on the factory reserve. The Sports Club dance will be held in the evening. Ultimate Benefit? The experience of San Francisco, writes Mr. W. S. Clayton, president of the First National Bank of San Jose, California, was that the great earthquake there was of ultimate heuelit to the city. “Unfortunately it turns out to be true that such things cause disaster to the presentday inhabitants,” he says, “but are of ultimate good to the towns themselves as a whole, because the new buildings are built better and stronger. San Francisco is an example of this. It formerly was composed of ragged wooden buildings that the owners would not remove, and now is composed of modern fine skyscrapers built with a view to resisting similar earthquakes in. the future.” t Stratford Winter Show There was a healthy atmosphere regarding the prospects of the Stratford Winter Show at the annual meeting of members of the Stratford Poultry and Winter Show Association, in Smith’s rooms last evening. The president, Mr. A. .1. Duvey, whio still retains the confidence of members and was unanimously re-elected to the position, gave an extended jreview of the financial side of the association’s operation, and also presented illuminating comparisons of last year’s Show, with its predecessors. Th.e figures were most satisfactory, sho H/ing that the executive had been economical, while at the same time securing increased efficiency in all departments. The re-election of the honorary secretary, Mr. F. T. Hale, was enthusiastically recorded, and the value of his services were given practicsal expression by an increase in tb e annual honorarium. The tone of the meeting throughout augurs wejll for the success of ihe Winter Show this year. A report of the proceedings appears on Page two, k